TALBOT COUNTY, Ga. (WRBL) – The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) arrived in Talbot County on Friday to lead the investigation into a deadly plane crash. 

A small single-engine plane crashed north of the Butler Municipal Airport around 10 a.m. on Thursday. 

NTSB says the Cessna P210N left the Sarasota International Airport in Florida around 8 a.m. It lost radar and radio contact with the Atlanta Air Traffic Control at 10:05 a.m. as it was headed to the Upson County Airport in Thomaston, Georgia. 

Officials say the pilot was the only one on board and was killed in the crash.

“The plane was mostly consumed by post-accident fire,” said Josh Young, a NTSB air safety investigator. “The engine, the right wing, the fuselage and a portion of the tail were on scene at the accident site. And we did find the propeller about 100 feet from the main accident site.”

NTSB investigators say they are missing the left wing and 80 percent of the tail section of the aircraft. They have yet to release the pilot’s identity or a possible cause of the crash. 

The NTSB’s current goal is to collect the perishable evidence that can explain what went wrong during the flight.

“As an investigator, we’re just beginning our investigation here,” said Young. “We’re going to be focusing on this aircraft and everything with it. We approach all of these with an open mind and are ready to work very hard on it.”

The NTSB estimates their preliminary report will be issued in about three weeks. The final report can take as long as 18 to 24 months.

Anyone coming across any missing parts of the aircraft is encouraged to contact the NTSB Response Operation Center at 844-373-9922 or email them at witness@ntsb.gov.